The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President George W Bush has a
broken arm and ribs after being struck by Iraqi security agents, his brother
has claimed.

Durgham Zaidi was unable to say whether his brother Muntazer had sustained the injuries while being overpowered during Sunday's protest against Mr Bush's visit or while in custody later.

But he told the AFP news agency that he had been told that his brother was being held by Iraqi forces in the heavily fortified Green Zone compound in central Baghdad where the US embassy and most government offices are housed.

"He has got a broken arm and ribs, and cuts to his eye and arm," said Mr Durgham.

"He is being held by forces under the command of Muaffaq al-Rubaie [Iraq's national security adviser]," he added.

Zaidi, 29, a journalist for the private Iraqi television channel Al-Baghdadia, was swiftly overpowered by Iraqi security forces after he threw the shoes at Mr Bush in a gesture seen as the supreme mark of disrespect in the Muslim world.